Scotland/Scots > Reminiscences of a Highland parish

STORIES OF SNOWSTORMS.
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woman home with them, if they found her alive.
So off they went; and many an eye watched those
three black dots among the snow, slowly tracking
their way up Glen Immeren. At last, they reached
a rock at an angle, where the glen takes a turn to
the left, and where the old woman’s cottage ought
to have been seen. But nothing met the eye ex¬
cept a smooth white sheet of glittering snow, sur¬
mounted by black rocks; and all below was silent
as the sky above ! No sign of life greeted eye or
ear. The men spoke not, but muttered some ex¬
clamations of sorrow. “She is alive!” suddenly
cried one of the shepherds ; “ for I see smoke.”
They pushed bravely on. When they reached the
hut, nothing was visible except the two chimneys ;
and even those were lower than the snow-wreath.
There was no immediate entrance but by one of
the chimneys. A shepherd first called to Jenny
down the chimney, and asked if she was alive ; but
before receiving a reply, a large fox sprang out of
the chimney, and darted off to the rocks.
“Alive!” replied Jenny; “but thank God you
have come to see me! I cannot say come in by
the door; but come down—come down.”